ONE of the dangers for the ambitious cricketer, now that one-day and Test cricket are seen as entirely different games, is that success at one tends to mark you out as a distinct species, rather than as a sub- species able to survive in both environments.

Specialisation (the term exists for botanists as well as cricket coaches) is a problem with which Nick Knight, last Sunday's man of the match, is only too acutely aware. Notching his third one-day century, an innings that helped England to their eighth one-day victory in a row, Knight is also keen to add to his 11 Test caps, but feels one-day cricket is no longer the stepping stone it perhaps was in the past.

"They are very different forms of cricket now," said the left-hander, who has taken Michael Atherton's place as opener. "I know these games get me back in the shop window, but I haven't approached it with Tests in mind. As far as I'm concerned, it's just good to be back involved and the most important thing for me now is to do well."

Knight does not wear his modesty well, and why should he. His 122 against an attack bristling with the likes of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh left many exultant, and Bob Willis - one of those to witness Viv Richards' brutal 189 at Old Trafford from as close as 22 yards - hailed it as one of the best limited-over knocks he had ever seen.

For the majority of players there is no real lasting pleasure from one- day heroics, and only the World Cup - and then only if you reach the final - possesses anything like the kudos of a Test match.

Knight knows this, and following last winter's tour of Zimbabwe and New Zealand, which saw his technique disintegrate almost as badly as his left index finger (he still has six pins holding it together) has set about rehabilitating himself. In such situations, broken digits are often healed sooner than bad habits, such as Knight's proclivity to dabble with, rather than leave, balls just outside his off stump.

"I'm worried about this word `technique' that flies around. I'm aware that I'm not the perfect technician, but I work at it. Everybody has to constantly update their technique, but it doesn't happen overnight or just by clicking your fingers."

Like Atherton did last autumn, Knight has been having one-to-one sessions with Graham Gooch, his former captain at Essex, and more recently the manager of the England A tour to Kenya and Sri Lanka, captained by Knight.

"I've had three or four sessions and they've been a great help. Deep down, though, I know I've got to go back to Warwickshire this summer and score runs in the Championship. Although I prefer to open, I'll bat anywhere for England, but I need runs first to put me in the frame."

Before that happens, he has four more one-day internationals in the Caribbean, including another at the Kensington Oval, scene of that marvellous hundred. Indeed, could his blitzkrieg even be topped?

"I don't think you ever really know how good you are going to be. You just keep trying to improve. Sunday's knock probably was one of my best. But I'll keep working in the hope that there's more, and better to come, in all forms of the game."